The Candlejack

The Candlejack is said to be skeletal figure buried beneath the robes of what his devotees might call a Bawler, or priest. Rather than being made of bone, his skull is supposed to be made of white wax. He carries a lantern in his left hand which he uses to identify those he searches for.

Once a member of the clergy, the Candlejack supposedly saw the error of his ways and gave up his life of reprimanding others and took up the life of a thief. Thereafter he used his knowledge of religious ideas to help the dead cheat their appointment with the Ferryman.

According to those who believe in him, the Candlejack is impressed by the best and most audacious of thieves. Those brave thieves who don't rat on their friends are secreted away from their appointed end. He instead shows them the way to Whiskerhaven -- the paradise of the thief.

Barring being impressed, many devotees believe that he can sometimes be bribed by those who have a coin to offer him. So as not to be mistaken for the payment to the Ferryman this bribe is placed in the mouth of the dead, rather than on his eyelids. 

The Afterlife: Whiskerhaven

Whiskerhaven is the mythical afterlife according to those who play the Long Game -- the so-called religion of thieves. It is a shimmering, half-real city of twilight streets and endless markets, where no one wants for food or coin, and no one chases what they’ve already lost.

In Whiskerhaven, the rules are inverted: the clever are honored, the watchmen are all blind, the audacious are protected, and every door swings open for those who know the right knock. In Whiskerhaven, there are no lords or masters. Thieves govern themselves in loose circles of trust, gamble with fate itself, and live without debt, punishment, or poverty. Jailors are beggars. Barons sweep streets. Every tavern is open and every coin flips heads. 

• The Twilight Streets: Lanterns flicker in endless dusk; shadows hide more doorways than walls should allow. A thief never runs out of alleyways.
• The Grand Bazaar: Every stolen thing finds its way here, often in stranger forms—coins melt into dice, gems turn into bottles of wine, and locks hang open waiting for anyone to “steal” their contents.
• The Gambler’s Bridge: A bridge with no bottom beneath it. To cross, one must roll dice against Fate. Some thieves never leave the bridge, playing eternally but never falling.

The door to Whiskerhaven is said to be guarded by none other than the uncontested Prince of Thieves. That position is believed by many to be Thorne Blackwyd, but it is well known that if another thief should take that honor, he will replace Thorne at the door.

It is said that every thief gets at least one shot at the perfect job—the final job, the one that brings them to the attention of the Candlejack. If the Candlejack notices their attempt, their souls will be stolen from the Ferryman upon their death and taken to Whiskerhaven.

Failing that, the Candlejack can sometimes be bribed to take an unknown thief, if a blackened gold piece is placed on the deceased's tongue as a bribe. 

If the departed thief cannot win the attention of the Candlejack by his deeds, or have his bribe accepted, there remains one final option to gain Whiskerhaven -- that via the Red-Fingered Woman. The Red-Fingered Woman is a fat and dour wench who serves drinks to those about to board the Ferry. Despite her perpetual grimace, she is said to have a secret weakness for a good story or a well-told joke. Thieves believe that if they can make her laugh, she will keep hide them beneath her robes and while they will not enter Whiskerhaven, they will at least avoid the great judgement that awaits them. With the Red-Fingered Woman they will be able to drink forever and find themselves slumbering at each day's end in her ample bosom.

Not all thieves believe in Whiskerhaven, but all have heard its stories. To believe in it is to believe that death is not a punishment, but the greatest con of all. It is not solely the abode of Thieves, either, as they believe that Rangers and Bards may find themselves there, as well. Though those who do will have to buy the drinks of any real thief they meet.